#129. The Black Flame Dragon Who Steals Opportunities (4)
“Are you planning to keep lounging around so disrespectfully?”
“Yawn… Ah… I’m so damn tired… Huh? Who…”
Jegal Somyeong spoke without even turning around.
“Your acting’s still as sloppy as ever… Do I really have to stop what I’m doing and turn around?”
“Oh? Isn’t that the Chief Strategist?”
“Do I have to keep playing along with your lame routine?”
“Sorry, sir. My body’s just not feeling great. I pushed way too hard inside the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin…”
“You were fatigued, sure, but your vitality, energy, and spirit were all perfectly fine… You know what happens to those who lie to the Chief Strategist? Up to three years in a gold cell.”
At Jegal Somyeong’s words, Jin Sowoon’s grinning face twisted. It was baffling enough that the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist had shown up in his quarters, but the man’s temper seemed even crankier than before.
“Ugh…”
Jin Sowoon let out a long sigh and finally looked at Jegal Somyeong. Just like their last meeting, the strategist wouldn’t even meet his eyes, absorbed in his documents. This wasn’t some remote outpost like the Iron Sword Sect—why come all the way to someone else’s room for this? Jin Sowoon decided to wait patiently until Jegal Somyeong spoke first.
He filled the teacup in front of him to the brim and slowly sipped the tea. It hadn’t been long in real time, but nearly ten days inside the formation made the aroma rich and intense. Compared to the tea from the Namgung family, it was just as good—no, better. He’d heard the middle-aged maid had switched blends after learning he enjoyed tea despite not drinking alcohol. She must’ve gone a bit overboard.
‘Actually, with the scale of the Murim Alliance and the academy, it’s probably not a stretch at all.’
Considering the spending habits of the other representatives, Jin Sowoon’s own wasn’t extravagant. The maid probably didn’t mind splurging here.
While Jin Sowoon drifted into thought, Jegal Somyeong finished signing a document, pushed the stack aside, and finally looked at him.
“…”
Noting Jin Sowoon’s surprised expression, Jegal Somyeong asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Didn’t you bring urgent documents all the way here?”
Jin Sowoon gestured to the pile stacked on the table, prompting Jegal Somyeong to furrow his brow deeply.
“When talking to someone, you look them in the eye—not off doing other things. Didn’t they teach you that?”
“Whoa…”
Jin Sowoon nearly blurted out, ‘Guess I wasn’t human last time then,’ but held his tongue at the gruff remark.
“You look like you’ve got something to say.”
“Haa… No, it’s nothing. So, what brings you all the way here?”
“A lot’s happened while you were asleep.”
“Like what?”
“First, the Disciplinary Committee convened.”
“Ah… I see.”
Jegal Somyeong’s eyebrow twitched at Jin Sowoon’s muted reaction.
“You’re not surprised?”
“Well… I kinda saw it coming.”
“The committee was mostly people picked by Elder Myeonghyeon, and they discussed your punishment too.”
Jin Sowoon nodded. “Mm… So, what was the outcome?”
Instead of answering, Jegal Somyeong stared at him steadily.
“What did I do wrong?”
“…I said the Disciplinary Committee met while you were asleep, and they discussed your punishment. Was that expected too?”
“Well… I figured they wouldn’t just let it slide.”
“And yet you deliberately overexerted yourself in the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin and slept for three days?”
Scratching his cheek, Jin Sowoon replied, “If I hadn’t been asleep, they couldn’t have spun it any other way. I’d just end up dragged around giving testimonies everywhere—way more exhausting.”
Jegal Somyeong couldn’t hide his exasperation and let out a small sigh. “Hah!”
“So, what was the result?”
“Those who entered the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin were expelled. The expellees sang your praises. Elder Myeonghyeon’s influence didn’t even touch it.”
“I see.”
“That was expected too?”
“No, not that. I just figured even if I got punished, it wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Why?”
“The ringleaders got expelled, sure, but the real Jeongdohoe academy cadre weren’t involved, right?”
Jegal Somyeong clenched his jaw and nodded. “Probably.”
“That’s what I thought. It’ll plant fundamental doubts about the Jeongdohoe’s morality inside their own ranks. They’ll wonder if they’re just tools to be used and discarded… And the Baekdohoe folks centered on the Five Great Families, plus the Twelve Bongseong, won’t feel much different.”
“If it backfires, your position could shake.”
“Doesn’t matter much. As long as people wake up, stop relying on others, and learn to look after themselves.”
“…So it’s ultimately for the Murim Alliance?”
“Not sure it’s that grand. I just want them to get their shit together and handle their own business.”
Jegal Somyeong fell silent, lost in thought after hearing Jin Sowoon out. Tae-eul Gate—a bottom-tier among the 108 Peaks’ lowers, barely able to sustain itself. Yet this kid from there was scheming for the good of all Murim. Jegal Somyeong, the battle-hardened strategist navigating the Alliance’s cutthroat politics, didn’t know how to handle this naive idealist.
Snapping out of it, he resumed his prepared questions. “Anyway, did you skip all food inside the Muryangbulgolmokhonjin to win their support?”
Jin Sowoon’s state upon emerging had been horrific—practically a wreck. But Jegal Somyeong, after checking his pulse, knew it was deliberate. Despite the ruined exterior, his heart beat stronger than ever. He’d nearly slapped him awake in shock.
“…I held back for any possible survivors.”
“Hmph! Nonsense. Most survivors came out fatter than when they went in. You must’ve given up your share too.”
Jin Sowoon’s face soured like he’d eaten shit at the words.
“Isn’t that the ‘cooperation’ the Murim Alliance preaches?”
“You spout such bullshit so casually.”
Jegal Somyeong sneered with utter conviction, no doubt in his mind. Despite his position, he’d never believed in any ‘cooperation’ in the Alliance.
Pushed that far, Jin Sowoon confessed. “Yeah. I faked it a bit. Dragged out the time, cut food rations inside to the max.”
“For more dramatic effect?”
“Yes.”
And the ploy worked—the entrants felt betrayed by the Jeongdohoe and developed fierce loyalty to Jin Sowoon, even if it meant harm to their sects.
“…”
Realizing how far it went, Jegal Somyeong steadied himself with a slow sip of tea. Jin Sowoon kept glancing nervously at his face.
“Will this cause problems?”
“Hah…”
It was almost funny—confessing to fraud, then getting cold feet. Sorting his thoughts, Jegal Somyeong cleared his teacup and shoved the documents toward Jin Sowoon.
Jin Sowoon still looked baffled.
“Read them, sort, and process.”
He rolled his eyes dramatically. “These are Mantongbu documents, right? How could I possibly—”
“They’ve piled up because I’ve been stuck babysitting you. Process them properly, or face discipline.”
Still rolling his eyes, Jin Sowoon muttered loud enough to hear, ‘Who asked you to stick around…’ before picking up a document and reading. He grabbed Jegal Somyeong’s brush and ink, marking it up.
“…”
After scribbling notes, he wrote ‘REJECTED’ at the end, shoved it aside, and moved to the next—without seeking approval.
At the audacity, Jegal Somyeong snatched the rejected document and flipped it open, ready to chew him out for errors.
But.
“Hoo… Haha…”
He couldn’t help but chuckle. The document concerned outsourcing logistics between the Alliance and branches. Twenty-four existing contractors; twelve new applicants. Cancel six problematic ones and contract six new— a mess eating pages of explanations.
Yet Jin Sowoon had rejected it outright: three of the six problematic ones were unavoidable due to natural disasters, opposing the root accusations; and most new applicants were tied to the Nine Great Gates, unfit as solutions.
Sound reasoning—Jegal Somyeong would’ve ruled similarly. But the shock was how. It required cross-checking countless Alliance departments on old contractors, new ones, and root causes.
Like he knew all the answers, presenting solutions effortlessly. By the third document, Jegal Somyeong asked, “What are you?”
“Pardon?”
“How do you know all this?”
“…Uh, well, I have a good memory.”
“Memory?”
“I don’t forget anything I’ve seen once.”
“And you processed these with that?”
“Hard to explain, but yeah.”
“…”
Jegal Somyeong sank into deep thought. Good memory happens. But deriving insight from it? That’s separate—vast knowledge plus deep analysis.
Staring intently, he snatched the document from Jin Sowoon’s hand and tossed it into the pile. Jin Sowoon looked puzzled.
“What’d I do wrong?”
“No. You’ve got work now.”
“What now?”
“We’re sparring.”
“Huh?”
Jin Sowoon’s face crumpled like the tossed paper.
“What kinda nonsense is that?”
“I said a lot happened while you slept, right?”
Jin Sowoon nodded instead of replying.
“Second: I saw the three years’ worth of internal energy dormant in your dantian.”
“…”